Self-winding perpetual calendar watches 

Self-winding perpetual calendar watches: exceptional craftsmanship 

A self-winding perpetual calendar watch is a masterpiece of high-end watchmaking. It is one of the most sophisticated complications there is. Requiring several months of meticulous design, this complex mechanism automatically adjusts the date to take into account the different lengths of months - including leap years - in order to accurately display the day, month and date, whether the month is 28, 30 or 31 days long.

Once set, self-winding perpetual calendar watches maintain the correct date without the need for manual adjustment, with a few exceptions. As their design is based on the Gregorian calendar, these watches will still have to be corrected in 2100, 2200 and 2300, which are exceptionally non-leap years. 

Self-winding or manual perpetual calendar: what’s the difference?

The main difference between the two lies in the way they work: a self-winding perpetual calendar watch draws its energy from the wearer's natural movements. The movement of the wrist drives a disc-shaped oscillating weight inside the watch, converting kinetic energy into mechanical energy to wind the main spring. This complex process, involving gears and springs, allows the main spring to wind up and gradually release its energy to drive the hands, keeping the watch telling the right time without manual intervention.

On the other hand, a hand-wound perpetual calendar watch must be wound manually, usually once a day. If the main spring is not wound manually, the watch stops when all the stored energy is released.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Maison, founded in 1833 in the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland, is an international benchmark for complication watches. Thanks to its unique expertise and complete control of production, Jaeger-LeCoultre continues to push the boundaries of luxury watchmaking, offering self-winding perpetual calendar watches that combine tradition, innovation and precision.